Devon County Council is being asked exactly what is planned to avoid ‘traffic chaos’ in and around Newton Abbot next year when Wolborough Street is shut for a week for roadworks.

Essential resurfacing works for Wolborough Street, a popular commuting route into the town, are set to take place from February 12 until 17 and the road will be closed from the Ogwell Cross Roundabout to the traffic lights near Asda.

But Cllr Alistair Dewhirst, the County Councillor for Ipplepen and the Kerswells, has asked for clarification from Devon County Council on Thursday as to exactly what is planned to alleviate traffic chaos as so far, residents and businesses have not been told anything.

Cllr Alistair Dewhirst

Cllr Dewhirst said: “Despite repeated requests for clarification as to what measures are to be put in place to mitigate the impact on local people and businesses to the west of Newton Abbot I have heard nothing.

Read More

“I have heard from the Transport Co-ordinator that the 177 bus will use Coach Road to enter Newton Abbot but as a frequent user of this road I can attest that it is often impassable when large vans and HGVs use it. Residents in Abbotskerswell are very concerned that much of the traffic will try to use the extremely narrow Priory Road to get to Langford Bridge and enter the town from the south.

“According to reports in the local media, HGV traffic will be diverted via Paignton and through traffic will use Coach Road in Newton Abbot. The X64 Exeter bus will also be diverted through Paignton for the duration of the works.

“This is a recipe for total traffic chaos and there must be a system of traffic management at Ogwell Cross that bans HGVs and vans from Coach Road and similar at Abbotskerswell Cross banning these larger vehicles from Priory Road. I will be demanding answers from the Cabinet Member at the County Council so that residents are not inconvenienced and vital local businesses can ensure that supplies and deliveries arrive on time.”

Read More

Cllr Gordon Hook had previously expressed fears about the closure, and said: “Diversion signs will operate but I can see no way that Coach Road will be other than log jammed for significant periods of time while this work is carried out. It will be chaos and I have asked the county council to do what they can to reduce it, but I fear that it will be a week of unmitigated pain and gridlock chaos.”

Wolborough Street, Newton Abbot (Image: Andy Styles)

Wolborough Street will be closed 24 hours-a-day so that the stretch from Pomeroy Road to Waltham Road can be completely reconstructed and for the road between Waltham to Beverly Gardens is to have deep patching repairs carried out. It will also see a new surface laid from Pomeroy Road to Beverley Gardens.

The official diversion route has been given as via Totnes and Paignton, and explaining the reasons, a spokesman for Devon County Council said: “The A381 is a major link between Newton Abbot and Totnes which carries all types of traffic and there are no roads of a similar standard in the immediate area of the work which can be used as a diversion route.